Port of Long Beach logistics, Southern California markets and nationwide trucking.
Get a quoteCFS Services for Port of Los Angeles Freight
LCL containers from San Pedro, Wilmington and Terminal Island terminals, devanned and released by consignee just across the harbor.
CFS for Los Angeles LCL containers
Our CFS serves Los Angeles importers whose LCL containers discharge at Port of Los Angeles terminals. We pull the container from the terminal, devan it at the container freight station serving Los Angeles importers from Long Beach, sort the cargo by house bill of lading and release each consignee's shipment once its customs and freight releases are confirmed.
The Port of Los Angeles is the busiest container port in the country, handling more than 10.2 million TEUs in 2025. Its Harbor District covers about 7,500 acres along 43 miles of waterfront, with terminals spread across San Pedro, Wilmington and Terminal Island. Our Long Beach building sits on the other side of the harbor from those terminals, a short cross-harbor drive away.
Port of Los Angeles geography and what it means for LCL pickup
Where a container discharges inside the Port of Los Angeles shapes the route to the CFS. Our trucks work all three areas.
| Area | Where it is | Route to our Long Beach CFS |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal Island | Man-made island shared by both ports, between the Main Channel and the Cerritos Channel | East across the Long Beach International Gateway bridge into Long Beach |
| San Pedro | West side of the Main Channel, along the port's historic waterfront | Across the Vincent Thomas Bridge to Terminal Island, then east into Long Beach |
| Wilmington | North side of the inner harbor, near the port's rail and warehouse district | East along the harbor's northern edge into Long Beach |
Serving Port of Los Angeles freight from across the harbor
Most LCL importers do not choose their port. The ocean carrier's vessel rotation decides whether a container discharges in Los Angeles or Long Beach, and the NVOCC or co-loader decides which destination CFS it goes to. That makes a CFS that works both ports from one building useful: the house bill process, pickup procedure and contacts are the same whichever port the box lands at.
For Los Angeles containers discharged on Terminal Island, the most direct path to our dock is the Long Beach International Gateway bridge, which opened in October 2020 to replace the 1968 Gerald Desmond Bridge and links Terminal Island to Long Beach across the Back Channel.
Container pulls from Los Angeles terminals use our own trucks and our company-owned 20', 40' and triaxle chassis. We book the terminal appointment, pull the box, and return the empty to the Los Angeles terminal or the depot the ocean carrier designates.
How a Los Angeles LCL shipment reaches you
- 01Arrival notice
Your forwarder or NVOCC sends an arrival notice naming our CFS as the destination, with the house bill number and estimated availability.
- 02Entry and charges
Your licensed customs broker files entry, ideally before the vessel reaches San Pedro Bay, and you settle destination charges with the forwarder.
- 03Pull and devan
Once the container is available at its Los Angeles terminal and free of holds, we pull it across the harbor and devan it, tallying every piece by house bill.
- 04Release
When both the customs release and the forwarder's freight release are confirmed, your shipment is released for pickup.
- 05Pickup or delivery
Your trucker picks up at our Long Beach dock with the release reference, or we deliver by local truck or LTL.
Common Los Angeles LCL pickup problems and how to avoid them
Most delays on Los Angeles LCL freight come from a few predictable mix-ups between the port, the CFS and the consignee's trucker.
| Problem | Why it happens | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| Trucker goes to the Los Angeles terminal | The arrival notice names the Port of Los Angeles as the discharge port | Pickup is at the CFS named on the arrival notice, not the terminal; give your driver our Long Beach dock details |
| Container discharged at the other port | Carriers occasionally change discharge plans within San Pedro Bay | No action needed; we pull from either port and the CFS stays the same |
| Freight released by customs but not by the forwarder | Destination charges not yet paid | Settle the forwarder's invoice as soon as the arrival notice arrives |
| Shipment selected for exam | CBP targets the house bill for a physical exam | Your broker coordinates with us and the Centralized Examination Station; expect extra time and exam fees |
| Storage charges after free time | Entry or pickup booked late | Have your broker file before arrival and book pickup as soon as releases post |
Export consolidation to Los Angeles terminals
CFS work runs in both directions. Exporters and forwarders with partial loads sailing from the Port of Los Angeles can deliver cargo to our dock by a set cutoff, and we stuff it into one container and deliver the loaded box to the Los Angeles terminal named on the booking.
We record piece counts, weights and the seal number at stuffing so the shipper or forwarder has what it needs for the verified gross mass and export filings it is responsible for.
CFS services for Los Angeles containers
- Devanning and piece counts by house bill, with photos of any exceptions
- LCL deconsolidation and staging by consignee
- Export consolidation into containers delivered to Los Angeles terminals
- Palletizing, wrapping and relabeling for receivers' specifications
- Bonded options for unreleased freight through our bonded carrier authority and customs-bonded warehouse; see bonded drayage from the Port of Los Angeles
- Release to your trucker, local delivery, or onward full truckload
Who uses our CFS for Los Angeles freight
- [Freight forwarders](/industries/freight-forwarders/) and NVOCCs that route LCL to one destination CFS for both San Pedro Bay ports
- Importers near the harbor, including consignees in Carson and Compton, who send their own trucks for pickup
- [Customs brokers](/industries/customs-brokers/) coordinating releases and exam moves for Los Angeles shipments
- [E-commerce sellers](/industries/ecommerce/) who need LCL freight palletized and labeled for fulfillment centers
Related Los Angeles and national resources
For a full container that does not need splitting, see container unloading for Los Angeles imports or Port of Los Angeles drayage. For how CFS work and charges operate in general, see our national container freight station page, and for our Long Beach-side operation, see CFS in Long Beach.
Route Los Angeles LCL to our CFS
Send the master bill and house bill list for your next Port of Los Angeles container. Call 888-718-9559.
Request a CFS quoteFrequently asked questions
Do you handle LCL containers from the Port of Los Angeles?
Yes. We pull LCL containers from Port of Los Angeles terminals in San Pedro, Wilmington and on Terminal Island and devan them at our CFS in Long Beach.
Is there a CFS in Los Angeles, or do I have to go to Long Beach?
Our CFS is in Long Beach, across the harbor from the Port of Los Angeles terminals. For a Los Angeles container, that is a short cross-harbor move, and pickup happens at our Long Beach dock.
My arrival notice says Port of Los Angeles. Why is pickup in Long Beach?
The arrival notice names the port where the container is discharged. The forwarder chose our CFS as the destination, so the container is pulled from the Los Angeles terminal and your freight is released from our Long Beach dock.
Does it matter whether my LCL container lands in Los Angeles or Long Beach?
Not much for you as a consignee. We pull from both ports and run the same devanning, release and pickup process in the same building.
Who arranges pickup of my LCL shipment?
Once your shipment is released, you or your forwarder can send a trucker with the release reference, or we can deliver it by LTL or local truck.
Where do you return the empty container?
To the Los Angeles terminal or the depot the ocean carrier designates. Empty return locations can change, so we confirm before dispatch.
Can you hold Los Angeles freight that has not cleared customs?
Yes. Unreleased freight can move under our bonded carrier authority to our customs-bonded warehouse until your broker's entry is released.